I want Atoxoplasmosis for Christmas
Only Atoxoplasmosis will do
I don't want a worm or a trypanosome
I want an Apicomplexan to bring to my bird home
I want Atoxoplasmosis for Christmas
I don't think it will make me feel too ill
I’m not a canary or immunosuppressed
I’m just a healthy sparrow carrying it to my nest
I can see it inside my lymphocytes
And sometimes the macs
Sporozoites all inside
‘Til I take them for a ride
Through my blood and out my GI tract
I want Atoxoplasmosis for Christmas
Only Atoxoplasmosis will do
No Plasmodium or Haemoproteus
I only want Atoxoplasmosis
And Atoxoplasmosis will want me too!
References
Campbell, T. W. (2015). Chapter 6: Blood Parasites. In Exotic Animal Hematology and Cytology. 4th ed, Wiley Blackwell.